SHEIKHUPURA, Sept 7: The district’s top-ranking officers – DCO and the DPO – had to face an embarrassing situation when a widely publicised open court could attract only two dozen complainants here on Sunday.

The district administration, through banners and loud-speakers, had informed the public that DCO Suleman Ijaz and DPO Zaeem Iqbal would hold the open court in the district complex hall.

But, despite all efforts, only 12 complainants bothered to visit the court.

The shamefully thin attendance is being attributed to a growing feeling among the public that such ‘courts’ are just an exercise in futility, having little to do with resolution of grievances of the masses. So people prefer to stay away from such gatherings.

DIE: Two Christian youths died in a road accident near Sarkari Khurd on Sargodha road on Sunday.

Reports said Haroon Masihe and Rashad Masihe, after attending a religious ceremony at Mariamabad, were on their way to Lahore on a motorcycle when they were knocked down by a rashly driven car near Sarkari Khurd. As a result, both sustained critical injuries and died on their way to the hospital.

The driver managed to escape after the accident, leaving the car behind.—Correspondent